Patent · US Expired

Optics contamination prevention utilizing a coanda air deflection system

US4198156A · kind A · utility

4Cited by
7References
13Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 26, 1979
Grant dateApr 15, 1980
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 26, 1999

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG03B27/52
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

In a document copier machine an almost completely enclosed optics module is provided to keep the optical components isolated from the remainder of the machine and thereby minimize contamination of the optical components. The described module has three large openings. One of these openings is an air inlet which opens to the exterior of the machine for bringing cooling air to a fan located inside the module. The second opening is an air outlet to allow the optics cooling air to exit. The third opening is critical to contamination and is an aperture which opens to the interior of the machine to allow illumination to pass from the optics module to a photoreceptive surface. In order to prevent air flow into the module through the aperture, louvers are situated at the fan to direct an airstream onto a first Coanda surface to move air toward the aperture. Light shields provided near the aperture to guard against stray light also provide an additional non-contamination function by capturing the airstream from the first Coanda surface and directing the airstream to the aperture. One of the shields can also act as a second Coanda surface in the transfer of air to the aperture. In that manner…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.